NY Lawmaker Blasts AOC for Latest Geography Gaffe

Assemblyman Matt Slater criticizes former classmate Ocasio-Cortez for claiming Venezuela is below the equator.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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An upstate New York politician and former high school classmate of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is criticizing the Bronx congresswoman for her latest geography mistake. At a security conference in Germany, Ocasio-Cortez incorrectly claimed that Venezuela sits below the equator, when the country is actually located just above the equatorial line. This is not the first time Ocasio-Cortez has been called out for geographic inaccuracies, as she has previously claimed to have been raised in the Bronx despite spending her formative years in Westchester County.

Why it matters

Ocasio-Cortez's geography gaffes have become a recurring issue, raising questions about her foreign policy knowledge and credibility, especially as she seeks to position herself as an expert on global affairs. The criticism from a former high school classmate further undermines her standing and fuels perceptions that she is not sufficiently prepared for the responsibilities of her congressional role.

The details

During a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference, Ocasio-Cortez, who majored in global studies, claimed that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro "was an anti-democratic leader" and that "we can't kidnap a head of state and engage in acts of war just because the nation is below the equator." However, Venezuela is actually located north of the equatorial line, not south of it as Ocasio-Cortez stated.

  • Ocasio-Cortez made the incorrect claim about Venezuela's location during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference in Germany this past weekend.

The players

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A Democratic socialist U.S. Representative from New York's 14th congressional district, known for her progressive policy positions and occasional gaffes related to geography and foreign policy.

Matt Slater

A Republican member of the New York State Assembly who was a former high school classmate of Ocasio-Cortez at Yorktown High School in Westchester County.

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What they’re saying

“I'm sure the Social Studies Department at Yorktown High School is just as embarrassed as everyone else that their most famous student has failed geography on the world stage.”

— Matt Slater, New York State Assemblyman (The New York Post)

The takeaway

Ocasio-Cortez's latest geography gaffe, this time incorrectly placing Venezuela below the equator, has once again raised concerns about her foreign policy knowledge and credibility, especially as she seeks to position herself as an expert on global affairs. The criticism from a former high school classmate further undermines her standing and fuels perceptions that she is not sufficiently prepared for the responsibilities of her congressional role.